


Huit

by purewanderlust



Series: Past and Forever [2]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, F/M, Fluff, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 08:54:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19103833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purewanderlust/pseuds/purewanderlust
Summary: Marius Pontmercy was running late. But a chance encounter in the park was about to change his life forever.





	Huit

**Author's Note:**

> Last year, I wrote a reincarnation fic about Grantaire, and then some of y'all asked me to make it a 'verse. So here I am, a year later with the next installment.
> 
> Happy Barricade Day. I promise not to make you wait this long for the next one.

Marius Pontmercy was running late.

It wasn’t the first time, and he doubted it would be the last, but that didn’t mean it was any less anxiety-inducing. The new apartment was much farther from university than his grandfather’s house had been, and Marius had yet to master the timing of the trip. Perhaps if he got a metro card, he wouldn’t always be behind, but it wasn’t exactly like he had the money for something like that. Moving into one’s first apartment tended to wipe one’s funds rather quickly.

His new roommate might lend it to him, but he was already doing so much for Marius, he couldn’t bear to ask that of him. Courfeyrac was an odd bird, who kept unusual hours and seemed to have an inherent understanding of all of Marius’ habits and preferences, despite less than a month of knowing each other. In spite of this, Marius found that he rather liked him. He was generous and cheerful, and unflinchingly kind. More people could stand to be like Courfeyrac, in Marius’ opinion.

He decided to cut through the park to get to class faster. Just as he stepped of the sidewalk, the clock in the tower at the center of the park started to chime at the hour. Marius’ heart leapt to his throat, and he broke into a sprint, sending a flock of pigeons flying. He dodged around the edge of a bench and nearly ran into a woman pushing a stroller.

“Oh! I’m really sorry!” Marius apologized, spinning around to meet her eyes. He kept walking backwards away from her.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going,” a voice said from behind him, and he spun around in just enough time to slam headlong into someone else. She staggered backwards, and Marius grabbed her elbow. It wasn't enough to keep her from falling, and they toppled backwards into the fountain together with a terrific splash. Marius swallowed a mouthful of chlorinated water, flailing. The girl got her bearings first. She clutched at his arm, yanking him to his feet. Her blue eyes were wide and reproachful and her blonde and pink hair was matted to the side of her face. They were both absolutely drenched.

“Oh my gosh,” Marius said, flushing all over. “I am so sorry!”

The girl brushed her dripping hair out of her face and squinted at him. “Do I know you?”

Marius blinked. “I, uh, I don’t think so?”

She stared at him for a moment longer, then her face broke out into a grin. It was like seeing the sun come out from behind a cloud. Marius stared dumbly. “Oh yeah, you’re a law student across the street, right? I’ve seen you in this park before.”

“My name is Marius Pontmercy,” he said. They were still standing knee-deep in the fountain, and he immediately felt like an idiot. Luckily, she didn’t seem put off at all.

“Mine’s Cosette.” She gracefully hopped over the lip of the fountain, back onto the sidewalk. Marius followed. “Where were you headed so quickly?”

Marius winced. His class! “Nowhere important.”

Cosette flashed him a grin. “Well. I find myself in need of a towel--” Marius tried to apologize again, but she continued talking over him, “--and I suspect you do too. My house is just down the street. You want to come dry off?”

“I would love that,” Marius replied, feeling a smile creep onto his own face.

"Alright. This way." Cosette grabbed his hand and led him down the sidewalk. Marius could feel his face getting warm as she twined their fingers together. "It's strange. I feel like I've known you for much longer than a few minutes."

"Me too," Marius managed. "I don't really go home with girls I've just met...oh, no, I didn't mean it like that!"

Cosette snorted. "You didn't? A shame." She winked and Marius made a choked sound, which only made her laugh harder. "I'm kidding! Come on, it's just around this corner."

The house she led him to was a beautiful villa with ivy climbing the walls, and a wrought iron fence surrounding the house and garden.

"Wow," Marius mumbled.

"Yeah, it's a bit much."

"Oh, I didn't mean--"

"No worries," she interjected. "Hang on a sec. Can you wait right here by the gate? I'm gonna go see if my father is home."

"Sure. Yes, I can do that!" Marius said agreeably. Cosette smiled and squeezed his fingers one more time before dropping his hand and reaching out to open the gate.

She passed through the gate and was halfway up the path to the house when an odd impulse stole over Marius. "Cosette, wait!" He stepped closer to the fence, wrapping his fingers around the iron bars.

As soon as he touched the cool metal, images started to flash through his mind. He saw the familiar faces of his grandfather and Courfeyrac, but they were both dressed in strange, outdated clothing. He heard cannon fire and gunshots, felt a sharp pain in his side, and smelled sewage and blood, thick and cloying in his throat.

But the things he saw the most of were Cosette. Cosette, walking through the park with her father. Cosette, crying in the garden as he slumped against a nearby tree. Cosette in a resplendent white gown. Cosette, holding their first-born child and beaming at him.

Marius came back to himself with a start. He was on his knees on the cobblestones, hand still wrapped loosely around the fence.

"Marius!" At the sound of Cosette's voice, he glanced up. She was running back towards him, face tight with worry. "Are you okay?" She pushed through the gate and put a hand on his shoulder. Immediately, her fingers clenched in the fabric of his shirt and her eyes went wide.

Marius caught her before she could hit the ground, cradling her gently as her memories came rushing back. After a few moments, her eye fluttered open and she looked up at him in astonishment.

"I knew I knew you." She said, and then yanked him down for a kiss.

And for once in his life, Marius was exactly in the right place at the right time.


End file.
